Rayland Election

October 12, 2013

Three of the current council members are running for re-election. They will face three new candidates: Leigh Ann Sabo, Andrea Jenkins and Evelyn Burley. Before voting, here are some things to consider:

In November 2012, the voters voted down an additional levy for street lights. Council immediately (11-19-2012) passed a $4 a month street light fee on orders from the village administrator. The village wants to charge a $10 a month late fee for anyone who does not pay the $4 light fee. How can anyone's water be shut OFF for not paying the $4 light fee? When you are paying your Water Bill and Garbage and Sewer portion of the bill? When in past the VOTERS said "No" to the Light Fee!

THE LACK of financial records when the state auditor came to do the Audit has never been explained to the Voters. Why didn't the finance committee of council catch this problem during their meetings? This resulted in an embarrassing front page article in the newspaper.

The village's bills were also not being paid, and required forms not being filed with the state and federal government agencies. This results in unnecessary fines, penalties, and Interest. The auditor is still owed $971.13. The taxpayers now must pay for this AGAIN, what was the finance committee doing while this was happening???

The voters passed a (2011) expense levy for the FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, and STREET LIGHTS and PARKS!! The fire department was to get $5,000 a year from this Levy. When the Village got into financial trouble there was no money for the fire department. In 2013, the fire department was given $1,000 and a promise to help with some fundraisers. How many fundraisers have these officials helped with since making this promise? They have again defied the voters who pass this levy.

We would also like to encourage all the residents of Rayland to go to Mazeroski Park and look at the $1,398.18 paint job done on the Gazebo this past summer paid for by (YOU) the taxpayers!!! APPARENTLY, the paint job on the gazebo during the summer of 2012 wasn't satisfactory, so this year village employees toiled for 115.5 hours over a three week period to upgrade the appearance of the gazebo. This project was not presented to council for approval. GO SEE THE PAINT JOB that you paid for.

No jobs in the Village are ever advertised. On April 1, 2013, the Village Clerk resigned. The very next day the Mayor's Mother had the position, and now has been made the janitor without asking the fiscal officer if the Village could afford a janitor. Is this legal and Ethical?? Police Officers have also been hired without the jobs ever being posted. Openings for replacement members of council also are never advertised, unlike in other villages.

The Idea of De-Annexing part of the Narrows Road is a slap in the face of voters who live on Narrows Road. Why would the village want to lose the tax money from the Narrows Road when they are having financial problems? Very little money is being spent on the Narrows Road. Voters of the Narrows Road really need to think about this before VOTING!

There is a burned house on Church Street that has been there for a year and half and continues to deteriorate. It is surrounded with weeds and is the home of every stray cat in the neighborhood. The bank on the opposite side of the street collapsed from all the water used on the fire and still is not fixed....

With the recent vandalism and break-ins in town the police have no business patrolling ROUTE 7. Speeding within the village limits is out of control. When one of these speeders kill someone, what are the village officials going to tell the victims family about the lack of action on the speeding problem? Who cares if any of these speeders gets mad about being cited for speeding? That is worth it if it keeps a resident from being killed. These speeders have a total lack of respect of Rayland and its Residents.

Don't take anyone's word about any of these issues. Go to a council meeting yourself and you will figure out for yourself in a short time what is happening. Expect not to feel welcome if you come. The chairs for the public were removed and unlike in other villages, the public is not allowed to say anything during these meetings.

The revenge and retaliation by council aimed at unlike residents is not only embarrassing and demeaning, but also childish and probably illegal. They keep saying that certain people are not "RAYLAND PEOPLE", when many of them are not originally from Rayland either. Everybody needs to feel that we are all RAYLAND PEOPLE." Maybe council members need to be reminded who is paying their wages!!!

The three new candidates will bring fiscal responsibility to Rayland's Village government and will ask the proper questions before passing or not passing any new ordinances, unlike the current situation where no one questions anything. They just pass whatever is put in front of them...